After her husband John passed away, April Macdonald found herself responsible for implementing the philanthropic plans they had made together. She knew what causes they had identified together but had no experience with philanthropy.
“John was a self-made man who came from humble beginnings,” says April. “I wanted to honour his belief that education is the key to making change happen, and address his frustration with the barriers faced by members of the Indigenous community.”
April’s brother-in-law Terry Jackson, who had been deeply involved with the Oakville Community Foundation for years, connected her with the organization. A key role of The Foundation is to work with individuals and families; to understand their interests and find innovative ways to make their financial contributions count. April asked The Foundation team for help with creating a meaningful contribution and legacy for her late husband.
“I just told the team at The Foundation that John and I wanted to support education for Indigenous students. They completely took it from there and came back to me with a list of schools and programs we could fund,” explains April. “With The Foundation’s guidance, I decided to create an award at the University of Winnipeg.”
April selected the University of Winnipeg as a recipient because of their Community-based Indigenous Teacher Education Program and because of the additional support they provide to students living away from home through their Access Program. Working with the Oakville Community Foundation, she established the John K. Macdonald Memorial Fund Award in Education.
“The Award was designed to go to an Indigenous student who is enrolled in the Faculty of Education and who has a keen interest in using their education to benefit their community and position themselves as a potential role model for others,” says April. “Our goal is that this award alleviates a student’s financial strains, positively influences their future and has a ripple effect on future generations.”
Since the Memorial Fund was established and awarded in 2015, April has had the opportunity to meet the recipient student, Donna, and see the difference the funding is making in her life. Donna is already teaching part-time in a school that serves many Indigenous children and is committed to making a difference in her community.
“Giving through the Oakville Community Foundation has been a terrific experience. The Foundation team manages my fund and does all of the legwork for ordinary people like me who just don’t know where to start. I’d recommend working with The Foundation for anyone trying to find a vehicle for their donated dollars and get the tax benefits of doing so,” says April.
“I’m looking forward to getting even more involved with The Foundation and more involved with the local issues. It’s a wonderful community of people working hard to make a difference and it’s a real win-win for those of us who want to make an investment in the future, in people.”
